Newbie Needs Mentor Or Just Lots Of Help!

So I just decided to begin collecting stamps...not sure why, just out of the blue told my husband, "I'm going to start collecting stamps." and he was all "Ok". So my question is this...how do I catalogue stamps? I mean I know all about the hinge method and such but I just bought a sheet of the eclipse stamps and want to start my collection with that. How do I remove it from the giant sheet it came on to put into the album inside the hinge doohickey? I am a scrapbooker so I'm familiar with the art of preservation, just have zero clue how to get started on the new stamp sheets. Thank you all ahead of time and I am very much looking forward to this new adventure!

Welcome aboard! As for your question(s)... Wow, where to begin... There are many topics/discussions here that explain what you need to know, as well as other websites. A couple questions for you.

First don't remove self-adhesive stamps from their backing. More on that later...

By cataloging do you mean how do you organize them in an album?

Many use the term "cataloging" to describe the act of 'identifying and valuing' them in a catalog. I presume from your recent purchase that you're interested in US stamps. The most widely used for US stamps by US collectors is the Scott's U.S Specialized Catalog by Amos Publishing. We'll give you some suggestions on how and where to get these too.

I presume the hinge doohickeys your talking are like little envelopes with a clear front the a split back?


Not a hinge like this:


What are you using for an album?

Are you also planing to collect Non-US Stamps? It may be too early for you to tell but what are your initial inclinations?

Jeff

Welcome to this friendly community.
To get started, I'd suggest you join or at least visit a local stamp collecting club, which can be found at http://www.linns.com/community/loca...ectors.html#
There you will find a lot of willing mentors.
Dan

The one think I like about collecting stamps if the freedom to put your collection together how you want to.

Their are so many choices from the traditional stamps in an album to you can just about name it. Again there are many ways go mount stamps and each has their fan. Some use mounts others use hinges. Others may use stock books.

If your collecting modern stamp such as the eclipse you might want to consider this. Collect the entire sheet. Then buy a binder, acid free paper and clear pave protectors from Staples of other such place. You have a few color choice on the acid free paper I like to use the heavy stock board paper that comes in a package of 100. You can but one mint sheet in from and one in the back.

In any event the final choice of how you collect and mount is yours. Today's most popular ways of doing individual mint stamps may be to use mounts. On used stamps it may be a mix of mounts and hinges.

THEN if you get hooked and say you start collecting older pre ww2 stamps called classics then there are other issues you want to learn about prior to determining your mount preference.

Have fun read a lot off sources to learn to do what ×works for your style of collecting. Just my opinion when it comes to mounting stamps. Heck as a kid I use to paste them on paper. My dad never said anything and keep giving me stamps. Later in life when I asked him why did he let me do this he explained it this way. If I gave you strict traditional rules it would have ruined the fun you where having and might have ruined the hobby for you. He added though he never gave me any expensive stamps during this time. I still have those stamps who h are stuck directly go paper but more importantly I have remained a steady collector though I don't mount my stamps that way of course

Welcome.
There are a number of 'How To' articles and other good info on Stamp Smarter website.
http://www.stampsmarter.com/learnin...e_HowTo.html
Don

Welcome to a great hobby. One important thing to remember ... the only stupid question is the one that never gets asked. So please ask. There are lots of answers to be found on this forum.

Welome !!

Welcome! The eclipse sheet is an interesting issue (and there are, by the way, new issue eclipse stamps from several other countries, too).

First thing: the only real rule in collecting is "don't use scotch tape" (or more broadly, "do no harm"). Beyond that, it's up to you.

Modern US material (self adhesives) presents a number of difficulties in collecting either mint or used. Solutions might depend on what type of "album" you are using (other choices include stock books or stock pages, which have pockets and might be easier to work with) but it's certainly true that most current US material is easier to work with in pane (sheet) form than in individual stamps.

In addition to the other resources already noted, there are a variety of introductory items available at the American Philatelic Society website, http://stamps.org.